On Air Next

This week on Radio 1190, we're spinning two old favorites: "Smiley Smile" by The Beach Boys and "House Arrest" by Ariel Pink.

The 12th studio album by The Beach Boys, "Smiley Smile" was released in September 1967. Conceived as a simplified version of their Smile project, "Smiley Smile" wasn't well received at the time of its release but has since gained recognition over the past 51 years. Many of the tapes and demos from Smile that didn't appear on "Smiley Smile" were later released in a compilation titled "The Smile Sessions," which I recommend as essential listening for any Beach Boys fan.

Departing from the serious themes of love and hopelessness that we see on "Pet Sounds," "Smiley Smile" is more playful both lyrically and musically. Songs like "Vegetables" and "Wind Chimes" speak of their favorite vegetables and the sound of tingling wind chimes, concepts trivial in comparison to unreciprocated love or a desire to escape the toils of day to day life. Nonsense words, popping sounds and train whistles give the record a childlike sound that we didn't hear on "Pet Sounds." Many critics, myself included, argue that Smiley Smile is both the first major bedroom pop album and the first major lo-fi album. We didn't see many releases of this nature again until the '90s, which cements it as an album that is definitively ahead of its time.

The most recognizable track on the album is the notoriously popular "Good Vibrations." If you don't recognize the name, you would certainly know it when you heard it. At the time, it was the most expensive single ever recorded. Over 90 hours of tape was used at four different studios to create the final version.

Ariel Pink gained mainstream notoriety after his 2014 new-wave release "Pom Pom." Even though he is well known now, his early work still exists largely in obscurity. Made with his band at the time, Ariel Pink's "House Arrest" is far different than the music such as "Pom Pom" that he is famous for. Released in 2002 as a split CD with his follow-up album "Lover Boy," "House Arrest" is an album filled with lo-fi pop rock songs reminiscent of bands from the Elephant 6 collective such as Of Montreal.

Songs like "Hardcore Pops Are Fun" and "West Coast Calamities" draw a clear influence from Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys' work on "Smiley Smile." The aesthetics of the recording style and the juvenile lyrics and music draw from "Smiley Smile" but also look ahead to the future. Lo-fi and bedroom pop were dominant movements of indie music throughout the 2010s, clearly seen in acts like Car Seat Headrest and Clairo.

When looking at the music of today, I love to look back at their influences, and "Smiley Smile" and "House Arrest" are both great places to start.

This week on 1190, we're spinning exciting new albums from drastically different genres. Here's what you'll hear when you tune in.

Last week, Haterreleased their debut album "Siesta." The band formed in 2017 and is already making waves in the indie rock music scene. Their music is slow and vulnerable, and the lead singer Caroline Landahl's vocals are simultaneously soft and powerful. Their sound combines classic indie rock guitar tones with beautifully textured synths and leaves you with a feeling of nostalgia. You can clearly hear them draw inspiration from bands including Alvvays, Neil Young and The Radio Dept., yet they distinguish themselves with the addition of brass instruments and unexpected chord changes. The album as a whole is cohesive and relaxing, and the sentimental lyrics make for a melancholy experience. "Siesta" is a striking debut album, and I can't wait to watch this band grow.

Punk rock band Sick Thoughts puts out their self-titled record this week. The record is peppered with titles such as "Chainsaw," "Blood and Guts," "Hellhole" and "Black Leather," which are indicative of their music. The band makes classic punk music and executes it impeccably. While the guitar is loud and driving, the vocals are robotic and almost Devo-esque. The drum breaks are timed perfectly with ripping guitar solos, and listening to this record makes me want to stop everything I'm doing and find a way to play "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3." The album is fast and fun and finds the sweet spot between melodic and noisy. If you ever thought punk was dead, this record is sure to change your mind.

Tropa Magica just released the psychedelic cumbia album "Y La Muerte de los Commons." If you aren't familiar with it, cumbia is folk rhythm and dance music from Colombia, and Tropa Magica combines it with punk and psych rock to create something truly memorable. Their music includes extensive horn sections, fast fingerstyle guitar picking and surf guitar. Each song on the album is rich in texture and drastically different from the last. Hailing from East LA, Tropa Magica has used their personal cultural experiences to make a sound unique to them. They draw inspiration from greats Django Reinhardt, Joan Sebastian and Edith Piaf, yet they keep their music contemporary. The album is high in energy, and I've had it on repeat all week to combat the dreary fall weather.

The band Les Big Byrd's album "Iran Iraq IKEA" is in heavy rotation this week. If you're a fan of krautrock, this album is for you. This Scandinavian rock band's songs are dancey and have the power to immediately put the listener in a trance. Psychy synths drone over repetitive bass lines while odd experimental noises fade in and out of the mix. The tracks on the album range from upbeat rock songs to sentimental ballads, which is what makes the album such a cohesive project. This band is incredibly versatile and definitely worth checking out.

If you’re an avid reader of On Air Next, you’ll remember “Hypnic Jerks” by The Spirit of the Beehive. We love this record so much here at 1190 that we’re making it October’s CD of the Month. The Spirit of the Beehive has been a favorite here at the station since their performance at Backspace, a former DIY venue in Denver.

The Spirit of the Beehive, named after the 1973 film by director Victor Erice, hails from Philadelphia, PA. “Hypnic Jerks” is their third LP and the most critically acclaimed yet. In a rollercoaster of energy, the songs flawlessly transition between each other (it’s often ambiguous where one song ends and the other starts.) The name, referring to the small spasms one may have as they fall asleep, perfectly describes the feel of the album. It has more dream pop ethos than any of the band’s prior work, but the smooth, lethargic and floating feel is often interrupted by an odd time signature or drastic transition just as you settle in. The result is an album that entertains for its full 38 minutes.

A distinctive feature of The Spirit of the Beehive’s music is their use of vocal sampling during interludes and transitions. For “Hypnic Jerks”, all the samples come from home recordings bassist Rivka Ravede’s father made when he was younger.

While “Hypnic Jerks” doesn’t have a bad track on it, my favorites include “nail i couldn’t bite,” “can i receive the contact?” and “hypnic jerks.”

“nail i couldn’t bite” opens the album, starting with the iconic samples and an ambient synth background. There’s an immediate transition into a partially reversed vocal line from singer Zack Schwartz, then another transition into the meat of the song, which sets the mood for the entire record. Heavier reverb from all instruments and sustained synth pitches help the dreamy feel. After winding down, the song picks back up into a full chorus.

“can i receive the contact?”, the first single from the record, sounds a little closer to what fans are used to from the band. The heavily distorted, layered guitar sits as the core of the song. After a quick transition (again heavy on the vocal samples), arpeggiated guitar backs the chorus of the song. Always diverging from traditional songwriting, The Spirit of the Beehive often have multiple, non-repeated sections instead of the typical verse-chorus-verse-chorus song structure we hear in a majority of modern music.

Finally, “hypnic jerks,” my personal favorite track on the album, shows some of the influence The Spirit of the Beehive must’ve gained from their tour with Palm. A sharp guitar line at the beginning leads into a mathy section of guitar and a catchy vocal melody that’s kept me coming back to this song almost every day since its release.

Ultimately, this album does everything right. The cohesiveness of the album and the band’s ability to change their sound while still satisfying fans reassures me that The Spirit of the Beehive are one of the most talented and innovative rock groups active in 2018.

This was an exciting week for music at Radio 1190. Three new records dropped from bands we’ve been spinning for a while now, and they’re all going on air this week. Here’s what you’re about to hear.

Guerilla Toss, an art rock band out of Boston and New York, dropped their album Twisted Crystal this week. The band’s lead vocalist Kassie Carlson never fails to deliver energetic and off the wall lyrics, and she continues to do so on this album. The record combines complicated time signatures with synthy pop-like textures, creating a complex sound like no other. The songs seamlessly switch from classic punk tones to experimental rock jams, and always manage put you into a disorienting psychedelic trance. The album is upbeat and danceable, but also feels like it belongs at a haunted dance party in Berlin. If you’re in Denver this weekend, Radio 1190 is presenting their show at Hi-Dive on Friday, September 28th. If you love to dance and thrash around, you definitely can’t miss this show.

An old favorite at Radio 1190, Blood Orange just released his fourth album Negro Swan. The album covers the topic of black depression, with the name of the album alluding to the stigmas against black swans created by European colonizers. Dev Hynes, the producer and writer of the entire album, intimately sings about the black experience and his personal plight with depression over stunningly beautiful R&B and lofi pop instrumentals. He expresses his vulnerability and the vulnerabilities of those in his community, and speaks for problems that so many people face but so few people talk about. From childhood bullies to the current political climate, Negro Swan confronts Hynes’ pain head on with music that matches the depth of his feelings. Artists including Diddy, Tei Shi and Steve Lacy join Hynes in creating an all encompassing album to represent the feelings of many. The album features gorgeous jazz melodies, dreamy synths, and astounding vocal layering which all combine to form an unforgettable experience.

The quintessential slowcore band Low released the album Double Negative, a strikingly experimental album that distinguishes itself from many of the band’s more straightforward slowcore rock albums. The first track on the album, Quorum, sets the tone for the album as a whole, beginning with 30 seconds of pure distorted noise. The song breaks into a gorgeous ballad, while continuing to use the heavily distorted synth as an instrument throughout. The album transports you to a cold and quiet world, filled with almost broken sounding synths overlaid with intricate vocal harmonies and pads. The songs are sentimental, but offset by their heavily experimental nature. I’ve found myself coming back to this album over and over, taken away by its unconventional beauty and the way it puts me at peace in an unsettling way. It is an unforgettable ambient journey that everyone should have the chance to experience.

This week at Radio 1190, we have a lot of great music to add, including "Hypnic Jerks" from The Spirit of the Beehive, "Small Car Big Wheels" from Enjoy and "27: The Most Perfect Album" from New York Public Radio.

The Spirit of the Beehive had me hooked from the first moment I heard them open for Palm back in February. Their 2017 release "Pleasure Suck" made waves in the indie music scene, and they continue to impress and innovate with their newest release, "Hypnic Jerks." The dissonant, high-energy indie rock is interlaced with home recordings that bassist Rivka Ravede's father made as a kid. The Spirit of the Beehive is known for making music that doesn't sit quite right, with unexpected chord progressions and funky time signatures that distinguish the songs from more standard rock. "Hypnic Jerks" (named after the involuntary twitches one gets as one falls asleep) aptly feels like it's asleep, but in some purgatory state between a dream and a nightmare. If you're looking for a place to start, my favorite tracks are "Hypnic Jerks," "Mantra Is Repeated" and "d.o.u.b.l.e.u.r.o.n.g."

Next, we have a new album off of Burger Records, a favorite label here at 1190. Enjoy is the solo project of Wyatt Shears (one half of experimental post-punk band The Garden). A solid mixture of highly experimental electropop songs, "Small Car Big Wheels" isn't always easy to listen to, but all the tracks offer something new. Enjoy has successfully created a unique sound that helps it stand out. A wide range of influences inspires multiple listens to catch all the layers.

"More Perfect," a political podcast focused on the Supreme Court from New York Public Radio's WNYC studios and the producers of "Radiolab," started off its third season by releasing a concept album about the 27 amendments to the United States Constitution titled "27: The Most Perfect Album." With the goal of making constitutional education entertaining and relevant, New York Public Radio gathered the most diverse compilation of artists and music that I've ever seen on one album.

Avoiding the common music industry pitfall of giving white men the most exposure, the album includes many female and minority artists, doing justice to the wide variety of music being made in America. What's most impressive about this 35 track compilation is the variety of artists: From Cherry Glazerr to Dolly Parton to Kash Doll to Devendra Banhart, there's something for practically everybody on this album. Indie rock, experimental funk, hip-hop, country, folk, mariachi, electropop, spoken word, punk and surf rock are just a few of the genres represented. If you have some free time, I recommend giving "27: The Most Perfect Album" a listen to get a glimpse at the wide variety of music being made in 2018.

Here at Radio 1190, the school year is ramping up and we have a plethora of new volunteers and DJs getting involved. Our recent favorites around the station include “I Hate Myself” by P.H.F., “Render Another Ugly Method” by Mothers, “monocloud” by Nestoria and “Roadkill” by Capital Punishment.

P.H.F. (f.k.a. Perfect Hair Forever) is the project of Auckland producer Joe Locke. Best known for their 2016 single “Queen” featuring prominent bedroom pop artist Clario. Their latest release is an eleven-track achievement in lo-fi rock. These songs are pop-rock at their core, but the distorted guitar and bedroom production feel give them DIY sensibilities that strongly appeal to 1190 DJs and listeners alike. I’ve caught myself humming the melodies to myself more times than I’d like to admit. “I Hate Myself” will without a doubt be revisited when I look back at my favorite albums of 2018.

Originally formed as the solo project of Kristine Leschper while studying in Athens, Georgia, Mothers, now located in Philadelphia, has become an indie favorite since their freshman release in 2016. Their latest album “Render Another Ugly Method” brings an innovative experimental rock twinge to the folksy indie sound that they became known for. What many have begun to consider the “Philly” sound (twangy guitars, atypical time signatures, and a generally off kilter feel) has come to the forefront of their music, but the indie folk charm hasn’t been lost. Mothers is starting their U.S. tour next week and will be in Denver October 21st at the Larimer Lounge.

“monocloud” from Seattle rock group Nestoria is a sprawling thirty-two-minute shoegaze/post rock journey. Atmospheric guitar and minimal vocals define this album that ebbs and flows like a stream. Although many tracks are long, they develop at a great pace and never come across as repetitive. “monocloud” is a blissful soundtrack for doing homework, relaxing outside, or taking a nap.

Last, but certainly not least, is an album that’s backstory is just as interesting as the music itself. Capital Punishment, formed in 1979, was a high school band from New York City. They never went on to be famous for their music, a few of the members have gained notoriety in other ways. Their lineup included Supreme Court Justice for Arizona Peter Swann and successful actor Ben Stiller. “Roadkill,” Capital Punishment’s only release, is not what most would expect when they hear “high school band.” The experimental rock album is sophisticated, innovative, and, most of all, just flat out weird. Full of samples, haunting talk/sing vocals, funky bass lines and unhinged guitar, “Roadkill” certainly isn’t for everyone, but those who appreciate late 70s/early 80s industrial music will certainly find something to love.

For those who don't know, the bilge is the lowest compartment on a ship, below the waterline, where the two sides meet at the keel — in other words, the worst place on the ship.

Living up to their name, Bilge Rat's music feels filthy, skittish and dark, but all in the best way imaginable. They've combined multiple popular tropes of indie rock in 2018: noise, samples and mathy time signatures, to name a few.

For September, Radio 1190's CD of the Month is "Pal" by Bilge Rat. Mike Kusek (guitar and vocals), Quinn Pirie (drums) and Mark A (bass) make up this trio of noisy indie rockers from New Haven, Conn.

Kusek's vocal performance is as distinctive as it is impressive and will stick with you long after you turn off the music. Building on the foundation that Krill and Pile have laid with this aesthetic of music, Bilge Rat adds a voice that's distinctly their own.

"Pal" doesn't have a dull moment; it moves through highs and lows at expert pacing. Just as a listener starts to relax, they are surprised and jolted from complacency. In the past weeks, I've found that the record truly rewards multiple listens. The three instruments have parts that are intricately written and tightly interwoven. Somehow, the songs are both unsettling and satisfying.

Highlights for me include "Cupio," "TI-83" and "Slacker."

The first track, "Cupio," starts with a meandering guitar line that is soon paired with a mimicking vocal melody. These phrases are interjected with quick bursts of distortion. The track becomes more and more active as it moves on, repeating this pattern and breaking into a noisy instrumental climax. This opener sets the tone of the record well, showing the listener what they can expect in the nine songs that follow.

"TI-83," named after the Texas Instruments calculator, gives a fun nod to the math rock elements of the track. Switching between a variety of time signatures and fluctuating in tempo, the track has an extremely uneven feel that shifts the record into a more uneasy, almost creepy feeling for the rest of the album.

Aptly titled "Slacker" is slower than the rest of the record but is by no means tame. Starting with a melancholy guitar and vocal pairing, the track ebbs and flows between this calm and the noise-filled energy present on the rest of the record. It is a great example of the range of emotion and tempo that Bilge Rat can succeed at.

Since the record first came out, I've noticed their monthly Spotify listener count has more than doubled. This isn't necessarily an indicator of a band's success, but I'm glad they've garnered some popularity with this record and I can only imagine they'll continue to gain traction. "Pal" is one of my favorite releases of 2018, and Bilge Rat is definitely a group to keep your eye on.

Finals is right around the corner, and I always like to use stressful times like these to recommend some practical music for studying or just getting stuff done. Today's mix features instrumental music or music with gentle, muted vocals to serve as a non-distracting backdrop to a hopefully productive finals season.

Ethiopia's Hailu Mergia was a pretty influential guy on the Addis Ababa scene back in the 70s. He played accordion and organ in the influential Walias band that, due to strict curfews, would often play through the night until 6 a.m., when the curfew lifted. These guys were rockstars, and Hailu Mergia still is. He had kind of fallen off of the music map for a while, living and working as a cab driver in the Washington, D.C. area, but recently he's had his music reissued and he's making some new stuff. "Wede Harer Guzo," recorded in 1978, is my study pick. It's a raw soul-jazz record that has a lovely, warm, vintage feeling and features unobtrusive, gentle but groovy vocals. This one is hard to dislike: It's passionate, easy to listen to and a classic in my books.

Maria Teresa Luciani is a mystery. There isn't a lot known about her, and original copies of her music are basically near impossible to find. It's understandable why she is in such high demand, "Sounds of the City" is an impossibly complex maze of tape loops, samples, found sounds and a genre-breaking suite of experimental sounds. This record is difficult to describe. It's simultaneously everything and nothing but best imagined as a landscape — an immersive environment ripe for exploration. Prepare for hypnotic layers of repetition and so much great, spacey, echoey, reverb. Take a mental vacation from finals, put this one on and walk around inside a parallel universe.

Pram's "The Stars Are So Big, the Earth Is So Small... Stay as You Are" is whimsical, experimental and beautiful. Taking on a cinematic feeling, the album incorporates a wide range of instruments and timbres, navigating us through some a confusing dreamscape. Influences of jazz, krautrock and early experimental rock are clear throughout, however their sound is difficult to place. It's avant-dream-pop, it's neo-psych and shoegaze all at once while maintaining a sense of subtlety and a very well-curated sound. This album gets extra credit for being named after a quote from Marshall McLuhan's "The Medium is the Massage." For fans of Broadcast or Stereolab.

I will start by saying that I have never seen the French film "La Scoumoune," but that does not stop me from recommending its soundtrack. The movie is about getting tangled up with some bad people, being sent to prison and planning an escape, which is why this is the perfect soundtrack to a week of finals. Composer Françoise Roubaix crafted a very distinct sound for the film. It's dynamic, with a very tinkery, playful sound, and is based entirely around a principal melody that sneaks its way into most of the songs, giving a cohesive, not monotonous, feeling. For something a little mischievous and lighthearted, throw this one on.

I've acquired a handful of bangers off Bandcamp over the past few weeks. They aren't the newest, but these are new to my MP3 library and hopefully to you as well.

Bloomington, Ind., duo Nice Try released their self-titled record back in 2016. And with all but one of the tracks clocking in at under two minutes, it's a bedroom, DIY pop record at heart, complete with minimal chord progressions and crushy lyrics. Sounding like something along the lines of a cuter P.S. Eliot or early Girlpool but with drums, Nice Try is perfectly imperfect, charmingly disheveled. "President" kicks things off with a lively pace and sleepy harmonies, both of which are kept up throughout the record. However, "Wet Willy" stands as my favorite on the record with the backup vocals mimicking somewhat of a dialogue along with the distorted, almost '90s guitar tone. Nice Try is cute, slacker pop. If you dig Frankie Cosmos or Snail Mail, you'll like this.

D.L.M.I.C. is the solo project of Mark Winter, who is somewhat of a weirdo punk legend and has been in bands like The Coneheads, CCTV and liquids. He's come out with quite a lot under this moniker, and it's all really hot stuff, so I'm not suggesting a specific track, I'm just suggesting him. The unbridled rip into insidious gentrification hipster culture on the track "Wicker Park" off his "November Cassingles" release is what really got me excited. I honestly wish that I could publish every lyric to you right now, as it reads like a report on what's currently happening in Denver and likely in every city. "Oh I'm so cliche / The city and my suburb are the fucking same / I'll move to Logan Square, shop in Wicker Park / American Apparel and latte art / Staying inside after it gets dark / I love the city, just not the poor parts.

" Hints of classic retro pop-rock seeps into an angry, modern sound, think toned-down Sheer Mag. Winter's voice sounds like that of a snotty, LA punk, dark and deeply sarcastic. The tracks "Fest Punk" and "I hope B.P. Explodes" are also real hits. This is my favorite thing I've heard in a really long time. Check it out.

Austin's Institute fuses anarchic punk with a dark, post-punk expanse, some moments hectic and slightly evil while others find a striking melody inside of the noise. Having all of their full-length releases on Sacred Bones, it's clear why things work — there's something slightly occult about Institute's music. There's always something intangible about it: It's creepy, it's overcast, but why is it so pretty? I think that's what is so attractive about their music. It's truly punk in ethos, not conforming to anything. They are truly men of mystery. They've got two great full-lengths out, "Subordination" being the most recent, coming out last summer. But 2015's "Catharsis" is just as intricate, slightly more upbeat and bright. For post-punk fanatics looking to go a little more in the hardcore direction, this is up your alley. For fans of Crisis or Lack of Knowledge.

Radio 1190 has been bombarded with several exciting releases the past couple of weeks. Here's a look into three of the records we've recently added to our library and why we dig them.

Hop Along's "Bark Your Head Off, Dog" is the group's third studio album. This record seems like somewhat of a stepping stone for the Philly quartet. It's certainly branching out, taking on a more polished, produced sound. It lacks the subtle punk grittiness that colored 2015's "Painted Shut" and attempts to replace it with a poetic subtlety. Lead singer Frances Quinlan thrives when her incredibly vast vocal range is combined with instrumentals that require such diversity from her. While some tracks begin to set a new standard of both complexity and catchiness for indie rock-pop, others fall flat. Despite its less successful moments, when this record is good, it's great. "Look Of Love" is a dynamic roller coaster. Starting out gently fuzzy, it carries you through crescendo, eventually slamming you into a completely unexpected universe of vocal harmony where the rhythm kicks in and its raw feeling envelops you. "How Simple" brings to mind '90s alt-rock classics like Built To Spill or solo Stephen Malkmus with a wistful, meandering pace.

Boasting acts like FUZZ, The Urinals, Jay Reatard, and The King Khan and the BBQ Show, In The Red records has been on my radar for quite a while. One of their latest releases, Shark Toys' "Labyrinths" is a hot and fast, rock 'n' roller of a record. Their frenzied, tension-laced post punk falls somewhere between Parquet Courts and Wire, with unexpected moments of skronky noise littered throughout. "Labyrinths' " guitars have a kind of gritty angularity, calling to mind acts like Gang Of Four or The Soft Boys. "Three Dogs," "Jazz Suss" and "Maze" stand out as the obvious hits of the record. They take a low-key, playful approach to the more dissonant fragments that maintain a punk ethos. It's not contrived; it's loud and it's fun.

This record draws from a lot of the greats but still manages to do it's own thing. The dark but anthemic, upbeat chord progressions fuse in a purposefully abrupt way with crazier interludes of noise to make a banger of punk rockin' record.

When Hinds first broke onto the U.S. indie-rock scene around 2014, they brought a much-needed wave of sunny, carefree imperfection with them. Their music has grit, it's completely unafraid to sound real, the vocals are pitchy, their Spanish accents proudly shine through, their guitars sound the slightest bit untuned and that's exactly what makes their music so good. Casual moments like these make room for the oddest instances of suspense and relief, and for a warm feeling of familiarity. A summery, beautifully nostalgic testament to youth, parties, heartbreak and uncertainty, "I Don't Run" is a shaggy garage-pop record I will be bumping all summer long. For fans of Chastity Belt, Devendra Banhart, Tijuana Panthers and Black Lips.

The world is coming to life once again after a long, grey winter. The same can be said about music: After the typical slow, release season, new music is flooding in and there's a ton of exciting stuff. This week features two standout records from old favorites Frankie Cosmos and The Voidz.

Greta Kline aka Frankie Cosmos has been shaking up the indie singer/songwriter genre for a while now. Her music is deceptively complex, pairing almost over-used chord progressions with subtle melodic flourishes, deeply poetic lyrics centered around the seemingly empty. There's something off about Kline's songwriting, and that's what makes it magical. Recurring motifs of insecurity, heartbreak, friendship and her dead dog JoJo are peppered throughout her latest, "Vessel." Her third studio album, this record is the bittersweet, slightly jaded, cluelessly naive, edgy older sister to 2016's "Next Thing." It's still Frankie Cosmos, but this record is far more mature, diving deeper into moments of louder and faster, underproduction and intense vulnerability that we haven't heard before.

Frankie Cosmos is a modern poet for the shy, uncomfortable millennial age. She finds profound moments in banal ones and packages them into tiny indie-pop boxes, which we can find either deeply emotional or just catchy, take your pick. My favorite tracks are "As Often As I Can," "Bus Bus Train Train" and "Cafeteria." Frankie Cosmos is playing at the Fox Theatre in Boulder at 9 tonightwith Lomelda and Colorado's own Ashley Koett. Stop on by!

Julian Casablancas has never really taken that much of a break since the explosive, early 2000s success of The Strokes, but every time he releases something new, it feels so long awaited. Perhaps it's the hype, but I personally attribute it to songwriting. In his solo work and on this latest release with The Voidz, Casablancas seems to balance perfectly atop an extremely thin line that divides the indulgent replication of all successes past from the need to do something new. What I'm really saying is that The Voidz's latest record, "Virtue," maintains that balance, featuring some glorious bits of Strokes nostalgia and some delightfully new, weird bits as well.

The subdued, dreamy, distorted pop gem "Leave It In My Dreams" kicks off the album and is immediately contrasted by a slew of tracks featuring heavy electro-guitars and synths. Ultimately, the record has a sci-fi, dystopian, rock 'n' roll kind of feeling with the occasional toned-down, broken, pop-rock track thrown in. This record isn't particularly cohesive; it just kind of doesn't care. Indie-rock, new-wave, noise and hardcore all come together seamlessly because of the fact that this record really doesn't want to be seamless. It's a manic collection of psychedelic synth-punk that will both entice you and drive you away. "Virtue" is eccentric, freaky and totally refreshing. Give it a listen.

I don't think spring is anywhere near sprung yet, as I'm sure that snow will fall the second I finish writing a column inspired by the nice weather we've had lately, but I'm choosing to ignore this possibility and do it anyway. It's warm! The world is alive again! And when that happens, springy, warm, bright music is on my mind. So here you go: a premature spring playlist from Radio 1190.

'Tender Buttons' by Broadcast

"Tender Buttons" is a jumbled blend of vintage-pop melody and blown-out synth noise which fuse to create something retrofuturistic in nature: a space-age, whimsical, alien, wistful, cinematic combination of '60s pop, art electronica and psychedelia. This record is microcosmic — it creates a tiny word full of excitement and wonder, and it traps you inside. Listen for colorful, dreamy pop.

'Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time' by Candy Claws

When non-Coloradans talk about Colorado music, they probably mention Devotchka or The Lumineers, and that's all well and fine, but I'm bewildered as to why Fort Collins' Candy Claws isn't up there with them. Combining dream-pop, shoegaze and synth-pop to deliver lush psychedelia, the local duo produced a ton of refreshing indie pop with distortions and fuzz alongside the more expected reverberant sound.

'Loving' by Loving

Loving is a natural iteration on Devendra Banhart's sunny, eclectic and casual style of indie in the age of lo-fi psych pop a la Mac Demarco, Mild High Club and Walter TV. A woozy, lackadaisical tinge falls in line with a timid, cute indie pop sound of yesterday, like Little Joy and Beirut. This record is particularly warmer than the rest and would be perfectly suited for spring fever daydreams of beaches and frozen fruit beverages.

'Apple O' LP' by Deerhoof

I suppose apples are an autumnal thing, but other than the title, this record is perfectly seasonal appropriate. Bursting with life and exuberance, "Apple O' LP" fuses the saccharine with volume to throttle an unstoppable, bright and raw energy straight into your ears. It's not all birdy chirps and wildflower meadows on this one, but when it is, it makes the noisier moments all the more weird and exciting. In a typical Deerhoof fashion, this record is a little all over the place, but that just means that there's more exciting content to discover. Give it a listen.

'Enter The Vaselines' by The Vaselines

The Vaselines' simple and childish sound is potentially inappropriate, reductive and oddly beautiful. Fans of Beat Happening or even Dear Nora would dig "Enter The Vaselines" for its deceptively simple song structures and maybe creepy allusive lyrical content. The Vaselines are a perverse version of innocent and elementary pop — this record hooks you with catchy melodies and then draws you in, forcing you to listen and actually consider the lyrics. You may find yourself singing along before you get to what they mean though. This is a darn good record.

Check out the above playlist of more springtime music over at featuring music from the artists I mentioned today and tons of other hits from Television, The Voidz, Marnie Stern and more.

Of course, as always, tune in at 1190 AM, 98.9 FM or online at radio1190.org.

This week features a weird jumble of tunes. From a super catchy indie-pop record to two great local releases, we are really mixing things up this week, so let's just get into it.

Cuckoo, formerly knows as Coo Coo Bad Brains, is a Boulder/Denver-based indie pop-rock, slow-core trio that just released its latest album "Big" on the local First Base Tapes label. For the most part, "Big" is melancholy, sedated and a little off-kilter, sounding like something in between Duster, Galaxie 500 and Pavement. Tracks like "Colony Park," "Cover Girl" and "Leg Day" are my favorites because they highlight the balance this record keeps between the fuzzy and the pretty. Interlaced between the pretty moments are the weirder, tenser moments that have a bouncy unevenness. These two elements contrast really well against each other to create an album that maintains a cohesive sound while still offering some surprises. If you're into contemporary lo-fi rock like Alex G or Peaer, you should look up Cuckoo on Bandcamp.

"A Kaleidoscope of Butterflies" by Denver's Wrinkle is a collage of different sounds like the title suggests. It has several things going on, and it all works really well. This record offers a refreshing variety — it kicks off with "Ice Cream Shop," a tame and melodic pop song, then quickly launches into tracks like "Brighter," which brings an awesome '90s rock-pop feeling. Wrinkle gives us some true bangers as well as really nice indie-pop tracks. There's something for everyone here: It's at times fun and energetic and other times thoughtful and calming. This is another record to come out on First Base Tapes and features tons of talented Denver creatives in the lineup. Give it a listen!

As open-minded as I try to be when it comes to new music, I wasn't expecting to like Superorganism. While their stuff is crammed full of weirdo interludes and accents, their self-titled debut is an electropop record as far as I'm concerned but an exceedingly good one. Superorganism crafts broken pop music — it's dancey and catchy beyond belief, however they lack a certain effort that pop music clearly has. The vocals are casual and carefree; they sound perfectly in tune yet not at all beautiful but rather normal. They interrupt the most important escalations of their songs to throw in random spoken segments and tend to sample organic, found sounds quite often. Certain moments in this record remind me of the brightly colored, indie haziness of groups like MGMT, poppier Deerhoof and even Animal Collective, while others remind me of "Warrior"-era Kesha. If you don't typically listen to contemporary pop music, this record may really hook you or let you down as much as other pop music may have. I'm under the belief that Superorganism is doing something completely new, influential and generally fun. If you're on the lookout for an acid-tinged pop trip, you'll probably dig this. Check out their music videos as well.

Midterms have been hitting me hard this semester. When school has me really stressing, it's always hard to find that perfect balance with music: uplifting, but not so happy it reminds you of how unhappy you are; relaxed, but not too calm as to make you lazy. It's a difficult balance. Luckily for you, I've got an arsenal of albums that manage to walk that line, so here are a few solid records to get you through that mid-semester slump.

Philly indie rockers The Spirit of the Beehive craft the brilliantly unclear — a hazy jumble of psychedelic indie folk that at times punches you in the gut and other times flies over your head. The sound on their latest, "Pleasure Suck," is dreamy and lazy yet incredibly well rounded, bridging the gap between the delightful and the fuzzy. I had the immense pleasure of seeing these kids live the other night, and let me tell ya, it didn't suck at all. Their sound was incredibly cohesive. The songs, much like the album, flowed effortlessly into each other. What stood out to me was how incredibly dynamic their sound is. They've mastered this balance of gentle and hard, somehow perfectly maintaining this homeostasis in which the quiet moments make the loud ones feel blissful and rewarding and vice versa. This is especially apparent to me on the songs "pleasure suck I," "ricky (caught me tryin')" and "big brain." Give this record a chance; it's really great.

Eddy Current Suppression Ring is kind of an oldie at this point, but 2009's "Primary Colors" has kind of been haunting me lately. The Australia based group's sound borrows from classic garage and punk roots but seems to add touch of irreverence and nonchalance that is just harder to come by these days. "Sunday's Coming" and "Memory Lane" stand out as the hits off this record for me. They're exceedingly simple but commit to their minimalism in such a confident way that there's no need to question it. If you like anyone from the Troggs to the Fall to Parquet Courts, there's something for you to appreciate in ECSR's discography.

"Denton After Sunset" is a record I frequently lean on for the late afternoon bus ride home. It offers a certain suburban ennui and melancholy that just seems to fit the bill. While Teenage Cool Kids is mostly known as the pre-Parquet Courts band, I think this record very much holds its own. It's timid, insecure, and vulnerable in a way that Parquet Courts never has been. "Denton After Sunset" offers an authentic and unpretentious window into Andrew Savage's songwriting and delivers garage-tinged indie rock — accented by unexpected yet well-fitting notes of country music — that's hard to dislike. Ranging from meandering lyricisms of "Landlocked State" to the driving guitars on "Kachina Doll," this album brings a lot to the table. If you dig P.S. Eliot, Milk Music or maybe even Built To Spill, check this one out.

The past few weeks have seen the release of a ton of rockin' new music. From Palm's "Rock Island" to the re-recording and release of Car Seat Headrest's "Twin Fantasy," there's a lot going on. That being said, you've likely heard of these albums already, or if you haven't, you could look them up and read a review by someone far more eloquent than myself. This week, I thought I'd throw some of the smaller-time acts I've really been digging out there, and hopefully you'll enjoy them as well.

Haord Records is home to brightly hued, weirdo-freak, synth-rock compositions of acts like Macula Dog and Cabo Boing. Notes of Devo are heavy throughout Cabo Boing's " Blob on A Grid," with toy-like synth and robotic vocals. And as the name suggests, abstract beachy elements such as reggae-like upstrokes on the guitar are littered in between the more electronic moments. This record is experimental, playful and slightly demented — everything I could ask for and more. For an "R2D2 covers Disneyland music" or "Kraftwerk plays in Pee Wee's playhouse" kind of sound, "Blob On A Grid" is the obvious choice. If you're a fan of this one, check out the rest of Haord's releases as well. They're equally as wacky and just as fun.

Gecko's "Enter the Gecko" is the only thing they have listed on their Bandcamp page, which makes me sad, but listening to this record makes me happy. Gecko throws together harcore riffs with a lil' bit of post-punk dissonance peeking through. Drips and drops of slimey sludginess a la Lumpy and the Dumpers or Toxic State Records seep through to make something gritty, dark and chaotic. Gecko is a local hardcore band, and the art for this tape is pretty dang sick. My personal favorite track is "Flowers." Give 'em a listen and check 'em out on Bandcamp.

American Pleasure Club is the latest project of Sam Ray, the force behind Teen Suicide and Ricky Eat Acid. He's had a fair amount of hype in the lo-fi community for quite a while now, touring with acts like Elvis Depressedly. The new record " A Whole Fucking Lifetime Of This," features some heavier, rock-poppier moments among the band's more popular, quieter sound on tracks like "this is heaven & id die for it" and "new years eve." Sam Ray is well known for his all-over-the-place musical stylings, so it comes as no surprise that the record does a complete 180 on tracks like "just a mistake," featuring a complete drum and bass, very EDM rhythm. All in all, this record has some really serene, beautiful moments and some completely unexpected, out-there moments as well. It's a weird variety but a nice one. Generally, it's nice to hear all of their influences and projects flowing into one record to form something cohesive (in context) and well-rounded.

These records and a bunch more are spinning on Radio 1190. As always, tune in and stop by: 1190 AM, 98.9 FM and online at radio1190.org.

A lot of great music has come out in the past couple of weeks. A couple of new records have me excited because they both seem to draw something from the '80s but still manage to sound like themselves. If you're in the mood for a little something retro or just want a dance fix, definitely give these a listen.

While there's certainly an anti-capitalist political statement running though their music, what grabs me most about Shopping's music is their undeniable post-punk dance groove, which instantly calls to mind legends like The Slits, Bush Tetras and Delta 5. Without being overly repetitive, Shopping has managed to identify the catchiest, most iconic elements of the post-punk movement and polish it all up with their own contemporary sheen. Angular guitars, dominant bass and sharp guitars throttle us into almost spoken, unmistakably British vocals. Shopping's latest, "The Official Body," is the London trio's third release and boasts a fuller, more put-together feeling. It's an all-around tight record: I mean that in the colloquial, "cool" sense but also in a technical way.

Every detail, note and beat line up to form a perfect balance between a strict complexity and a punk nonchalance. This record packs it all in. This dexterity seems especially obvious on tracks "Wild Child," "The Hype" and "My Dad's A Dancer." If you're not familiar with the old stuff, I would recommend this to fans of Sneaks or even LCD Soundsystem, on the record's heavier synth moments.

I feel like every writeup about MGMT starts with the same spiel, something along the lines of: "The unlikely indie rockstars who were quickly launched into popularity" or "a couple of college kids unprepared to handle the precedent they set for themselves" or "a band that's spent the past 10 years ineffectively trying to recreate the record that brought them short-lived success." I'm not trying to roast them, but MGMT has had a hard time because it felt like they never really branched out. Well, now they have, and I'm pleasantly surprised. "Little Dark Age" is the MGMT record I've been waiting for. It finally seems like they're gaining distance from "Oracular Spectacular" and bringing us something a little less bright, more mature and informed. Tracks like "Little Dark Age," "One Thing Left To Try" and "Me and Michael" immediately invoke a new wave kind of nostalgia through their driving synths and upbeat pop energy that almost sounds corny but isn't. For the most part, a dreamy sort of danciness acts as the glue of this release, sticking together darker synths with the warmer, groovier moments. This record is certainly still an MGMT record — one that borrows from indie traditions and fuses it with pop to make something a little off-kilter with mass appeal. But it seems to let go of the rainbow-colored, stoner, college-town energy they carried with them through their previous two releases. Notes of contemporary influences like Ariel Pink and John Maus seem pretty present across the board, as both of them seem to exemplify what it means to make indie music in a "post-Animal Collective" era. This doesn't qualify as an underground record, but as a pop album, it's pretty dang good and you should give it listen.

All three of the albums I'm talking about today are albums that I, and everyone else, have been talking about for a while. They've been much anticipated and for very good reason. I'm here to tell you that they all live up to the hype.

Hovvdyhave been a station favorite with a cult following for quite a while now, delivering a seemingly effortless package of slow — a la Alex G — no-frills indie rock. At times cozy, at times wistful, the slow-core duo manages to craft a sound that, despite being exceedingly simple, never seems to bore. Consisting of Will Taylor and Charlie Martin, the Austin-based pair has slowly been gaining momentum in underground music circles. "Cranberry" is being released on Double Double Whammy and comes in the wake of Hovvdy's first release, "Taster" (which I also really recommend, by the way). "Cranberry" is adorned with unexpected pockets of intricacy where notes of Americana drift through their meandering guitars and accents of banjo and piano. And tiny moments of vocal harmony add emphasis to their gently spoken, almost whispered lyrics. This is a great record. It's masterfully simple. Listen to it.

"Snares Like a Haircut" by No Age invites you to dig through noise and abstraction to find underlying moments of subtlety and harmony. (Courtesy photo)

With a distinctively loud, distorted and abrasive sound, No Agehave cemented themselves as the veterans of this mix; their 2008 release, "Nouns" has become somewhat of a classic. However, they've been pretty quiet for the past couple of years, so I was pleased to hear they were releasing a new record, "Snares Like A Haircut," on Drag City. While their music is glazed with an surprising, almost sugary indie-pop sound, No Age is for the most part loud, fuzzy and hard. Combining elements of hardcore, noise, lofi and pop, No Age lives for the juxtaposition, and "Snares Like A Haircut" is no different. Their sound is fresh, manic, lurid and deceptively noisey. This deception is a good thing; it's the reason I love noise music.

There's a beauty in digging through noise and abstraction to find underlying moments of subtlety and harmony. This record isn't monumental, but it coaxes that interaction out of you, and that's why I like it.

Porches' third studio album, "The House" features prominent techno beats and lots more Auto-Tune than their previous release, "Pool." (Courtesy photo)

New York's Porchesare back it again with their third studio album, "The House." While they've always had electronic energy, they've come out with something even more dance influenced than their previous release "Pool," featuring prominent techno beats and lots more Auto-Tune. Porches blend of indie bedroom pop with soft electro offers something for fans of Blood Orange, "Blonde"-era Frank Ocean, Alex G and Frankie Cosmos. On the whole, "The House" is cool-toned, serene and groovy pop beats perfectly suited for those early-evening, pre-going-out-late kinds of times. Two of the singles from the record really shine: "Find Me," which is jarringly and successfully upbeat, and the more toned-down "Country." The in-between tracks serve more as experimental buffers than standout songs. When this album does well, it's contagious and unexpected, and when it doesn't do as well, it's still bearable. You'll have a chance to catch the new tracks live when Porches play Feb. 26 at the Larimer Lounge in Denver

Popcorn of Fear's self-titled record is Radio 1190's CD of the month. The album is a blend of light, intricate pop. While mellow synths dominate, the record is laden with tiny pockets of flute, violin and guitar playing. The whole thing is a gosh darn gift that keeps on giving, with each listen revealing another layer of complexity. It's sunny and amazing. This Tuesday, I hung out with my friend Ben Donehower, the man behind it all, at his house in Denver. In between playing with his loyal and adorable dog Karate, we talked about the record, Boulder, and Justin Bieber.

What exactly is Popcorn of Fear?

Popcorn of Fear is the band name, and I just happen to be the band. It was really just something that I came up with five years ago. It's just kind of been the band I've always wanted to be, and it had a sound to it. It felt like I heard what the music sounded like when I said the name.

Your music has a poppy energy to it, maybe not contemporary pop. But do you like pop? Do you make an effort to listen to what's popular these days?

I love pop. Pop is life. I've been thinking about this a lot and, like, all my shit is pop: Popcorn of Fear, Population Control (Donehower also makes music under the name DJ POP CTRL). Pop is people. Justin Bieber is important. His music is ubiquitous. He's a powerful image. Pop is the spectacle, and I'm so fascinated by pop as the spectacle but also pop as a form. And I spend a lot of time navigating between those two — this idea of "low art" or whatever and then also pop form: verse-chorus-verse. So yeah, I do really love who the kids are listening to, and I'm trying to keep up, but I'm feeling increasingly irrelevant.

in addition to Justin Bieber, who else do you listen to?

I love the new rap that's mainstream — Lil Yachty and Young Thug. It's all absurdist. It's all unique, and that's what the kids love, which is so weird. Robyn comes to mind as well. She's a great songwriter. I love her songs and her energy. You know what, though? There's not a lot of popular rock music I can think of. I mean, what's the biggest rock band right now? The thing about rock now is it's just an ironic representation of what it was 20 years ago. They say Nirvana was like the last huge, real rock band to happen, and everything else is just recreating this form that is decadent and not relevant. It's lost its mainstream appeal, and it can't compete with Young Thug, I don't think. The kids are telling us what's important these days. So people making rock music are just kind of mastering this form that's no longer in the conversation. It's like you restore an antique clock and you're really good at it, but there's digital clocks now, and you don't need to do this. But it's still really fun to pick apart a form, and you do come to the realization that you're not going to get a contract, there's no future. It's the process that's important.

Popcorn of Fear's self-titled record just came out on United Worker's Party, U.S.A. Check out the label and the album at Bandcamp. And as always, tune into Radio 1190 to listen to Popcorn of Fear and a buncha other stuff: 1190 AM, 98.9 FM and online at radio1190.org.

While I could use this column to write about another big-budget fake independent record that Pitchfork gave an 8.5 or that some dude recited the Anthony Fantano review of to you at a party, I'm trying to promote music that's a little different. And for entirely selfish reasons, I want Radio 1190 to sound better, sound fresh, and give back to people who work hard to make music in a way that's actually unique and unpretentious. So this is my goal for the semester. I hope I can live up to it. Also, if you make music, or if your friends, parents, teachers, crushes, baristas, etc., send it over to md@radio1190.org.

All three of these artists have been blowing my mind lately, so let's dive in.

Yesol, also known as Cory Feder, is a local artist who works in all sorts of mediums from ceramics to animation to textiles. Her art is whimsical, delicate and personal, and I really like everything she's done, including this album. "Telluric" is unexpected in every way. It's haunting, ethereal and has a grounded sort of earthliness as the title suggests. The harp is the driving force of "Telluric," giving rise to an intricate and enchanted feeling. The airiness of the harp pairs perfectly with Feder's gentle voice. The addition of simple, semi lo-fi drum machine beats anchors the songs, pulling them toward the realm of dreamy, bedroomy pop. This album is incredibly beautiful and refreshingly unique. Give a listen and buy it on Bandcamp.

I had the pleasure of seeing Don Gero at a house show in Brooklyn over the break, and boy does this stuff bang, literally! Don Gero's drum-based hypnotic, psych-noise fusion is like doing guided meditation but really loud. I wish I had the musical knowledge to describe to you how crazy this experience is live and why, but some combination of synths and drums creates something fast, circular, chaotic and dizzying in the most exhilarating kind of way.

Don Gero gives me low-key Lightning Bolt or Hella vibes, but he's definitely still got his own thing happening. He's got two recent releases, "Wizarding" and "Weirding," both of which are awesome. Check em' out for sure.

I've also really been digging Uranium Club lately. They put out their latest record "Human Exploration" in late December, and it's really got me hooked. They're music calls to mind contemporaries like Liquids or Lumpy and the Dumpers but also classics like early Wire or Swell Maps' "International Rescue." At it's heart, "Human Exploration" is a good ol' rock n' roll/punk record, but it incorporates some freakier moments through their DEVO-esque talk-singing absurd lyrics. Not taking themselves too seriously — but not a joke — Uranium Club manages to maintain a balance between irreverence and catchiness brought forth through quality. Their previous album, "All of them Naturals," is a slightly less classic punk influenced and slightly more off-kilter, but it remains a banger as well. These tracks are fast, rockin' and a heck of a good time.

As always, tune in at 1190 AM, 98.9 FM. Or come in to volunteer. Find information on the website, radio1190.org.

I had the chance to chat with Boulder native, ex-Dead Kennedys singer, Alternative Tentacles founder, and all-around freak, Jello Biafra. He’s showing the film “Terminal City Ricochet” at the Boulder Public Library this Friday at 6pm and it’s FREE! We talked about a ton and I can only fit so much into 600 words. For a chance to meet the guy yourself, or at least hear what he has to say, check it out!

Your outfits in all your music videos are pretty dang cool. Can you offer any fashion advice?

Salvation army..and some of the goodwill and the arc stores around here are pretty good too, you know I still find some interesting vinyl in the stores too. Some people claim it’s all gone but all you have to do is stay curious and you’ll find something that might blow your mind or warp other people’s brains if you suggest it to them. The Sal Army in Boulder was just sitting there with an immaculate copy of one of my favorite movie soundtracks of the Fifties: it’s like Dan Fogelberg, Dan Fogelberg, Dan Fogelberg and then “Man with the Golden Arm!” What?! And it’s playable? Cool!

As a punk musician I’m curious to know what your thoughts are on electronic music?

Well electronic music is a pretty wide term... and I don’t really pay much attention to what they now call “EDM” but sometimes I hear something I really like...One of the best and most important electronic bands in the world, if you even want to call them that, is Colorado’s own itchy-O. You can’t just say "aw, it’s not as good as the live show." What about people who have never seen the live show and even if you have it’s a completely different experience. A very, very powerful experience. Not everything is electronic, they have guitar, bass and anywhere from fifteen to twenty drummers, but I have noticed a lot of people at their shows, dancing as if they’re kind of hypnotized. The same way people do at EDM shows. That kind of danceable quality is very much there. You can’t get that from just a rock band, or somebody who is just pushing buttons onstage. itchy-O is a marching band so they surround you, it’s like nothing else in the world.

You’ve got an event tomorrow at the Boulder Public Library..you’re showing the film “Terminal City Ricochet” which you acted in…Tell us a little bit about the event, and what folks can expect?

“Terminal City Ricochet” was a movie made way back in the late eighties, and it was supposed to be a worst-case scenario of the coming future... And I kind of describe it as a “Brazil” crossed with a low-budget “Blade Runner” and some rock n’ roll to go with it. Instead of the Futurama stuff going on, things got more and more crumbled and polluted and wrecked and the mayor/dictator of Eternal City, gets “elected” because he was the most popular talk show host and owned the hockey team. And had a pile of money, starting to sound familiar? Like Russia or the United States, they have to stage an election every few years to maintain the illusion of democracy... So basically, the mayor and his right-hand hatchet man played by yours truly, frame a rock musician as a terrorist, in order to get the fearful voters to keep the mayor in power for another term. As surreal as the movie is, as confusing as it may be at times, I still stand it as making an important statement; the scary part being that every presidential election since has felt more and more like “Terminal City Ricochet.”